We often ponder the convenience of getting married on a Saturday to keep the partiers of the our group happy as they will get a day off to recover from their shenanigans. Is it wrong to get married on a holiday? Do we take away from the holiday itself or do we use it to our advantage?
The Pros
The pros of having a holiday wedding… Well you’ll never forget it, that is for sure!
Your guests will more than likely have off for the festivities (they won’t have to take vacation pay!)
The decorations of a venue are usually set! Whichever holiday you choose will more than likely be decorated in favor of the holiday season so you won’t have to do much decorating (Unless you don’t like the decor)!
The Cons
The cons of a wedding over the holidays are price, tradition, and availability! Yes, it is nice to have a long weekend and have a nice recovery time from your big day, but think about it from a business stand point, they are going to up-charge for their services to make the most out of the holiday that they can (let’s face it… no one wants to work over the holidays!)
The availability of certain venues may be limited. So your day may be available, but you may not be able to have it for a full day. Be sure to ask that they are available to you for your big day.
Rarely do we want to break away from tradition. Most of the time if it does interfere with tradition, we will go with what we know. Be aware that your guests may not show even if they RSVP (That is normal for any day of the week though).
Holiday No No’s!
Christmas should be off limits, that is such a large and grand religious holiday that taking away from the Christmas spirit would almost too much for the holiday season. Also taking away from family time for your big day is rude. You may think that a wedding a a great family sharing opportunity, but most of the time people want to stay close to home.
Thanksgiving should be a no-no, but isn’t as serious as Christmas. If you wish to have a Thanksgiving holiday wedding, remember that it is a holiday made for thanks! Give them a meal to remember and give thanks in the best way possible, but spreading you love!
Following A Color Scheme?
Halloween colors are black and orange, Fourth of July colors are red, white, and blue.. Catch my drift? Use complementary colors that will favor the holiday that you have chosen but not scream, “This is a holiday celebration with a wedding included!”.
The Music
This may not seem like a big thing, but be sure to keep your music neutral. Have your music favor the wedding portion of your day and not the holiday portion! Your guests came to celebrate you… The holiday is just a bonus!
Notice
Be sure to give lots of notice to your guests. The more notice you give the better chance they will be able to come. Also, let them know that the event is on a holiday. Even if it is obvious, they may not realize until it is too late! We are human after all and even if we understand the date we may not realize it is a holiday!
Deciding when to have your wedding is all about personal preference. Don’t choose one date over the other because you believe that you won’t please your guests. Choose the date that fits you best with consideration of all these tips and your wedding (and holiday) will be magical! Remember that choosing a holiday wedding may leave for a slim guest list and a big check due at the end, but it is all about what you want! Happy planning!